Craft Beer Branding, Merch, and Apparel Examples

Hyper growth in the craft beer market puts pressure on brands to differentiate, and offer more than just good beer

Go ahead, crack yourself a cold one, and hang on for a quick crash course in craft beer branding.

Just over a decade ago, there were about 1,400 operating craft breweries in the U.S. Last year, that number came in at just over 6,000 — an increase of about 345 percent over eleven years. An average of 1.5 craft breweries open every day; a rate that has been steady since 2006.

Simply put, for craft beer brands of all shapes, sizes, and age —cutting through the noise to connect with a target audience is only getting more challenging.

As the 2018 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) kicks-off down in Denver, I wanted to highlight some of our craft beer branding work from the last year that showcases how some of today’s biggest craft beer brands are reaching their audiences year after year.

The most recent craft beer branding work from Anthem Branding

How does your craft beer brand stack up?When it comes to craft beer branding, most breweries share a strong undertone of passion and purpose threaded throughout their brand narrative, or how they came to be; and it’s a narrative built with intention and connection — all in the name of well-brewed beer.

Yet, extending the brand experience beyond the pint glass is how many leading breweries known and loved today are finding the most success when it comes to cutting through the noise and reaching their target audience. Here are some rad apparel, unique merch, and brand refresh projects to get inspired by as your build your craft beer brand.

Say hi and try these breweries’ latest concoctions at the GABF! They’re good friends of ours.

Enjoy the festival, responsibly! And get a hold of us if you decide now is the time to take the next step in upping your craft brewery branding game. Because you should craft your brand as passionately as you craft your beer.